Fujioka Chronicles: Hanae
by smellysoap
Summary: The pair in question would have said they had an "understanding" with each other. Others would have teased that they had a romance with each other. Regardless of opinions, Hanae ponders if they ever understood each other at all; because if she did, wouldn't things have been different?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

If I was able to understand, could I have been able to save him?

This is a question Fujioka Hanae asks herself often.

Fujioka Sousuke was the youngest son of the head of the Fujioka clan. Not unlike his brothers, he was famed across the Fire Country for his cleverness and his mastery of kenjutsu. It was during his twentieth spring that it was decided that he would be exiled from the clan for breaking clan laws by having a child out of wedlock and refusing to marry a Fujioka cousin. He could remember this moment, clear as day, as the rage of the elders swirled fiercely like blossoms in a windstorm.

Fujioka Sousuke was Hanae's father.

Most individuals during the Warring States Era considered exile to be equivalent to death. This was because, at the time, there were limited resources available for survival. Those who had access to these resources stockpiled them to share with their immediate families. As such, the probability of survival of one who did not have a support system was incredibly low.

Hanae's father however beat these odds. The night before his formal exile was delivered, he gathered what money and supplies he had and whisked her away. It wasn't until they were a few villages away from the compound before they finally stopped at an inn to replenish their supplies. Hanae was only a few weeks old then. She ate and pooped very little, and slept all the time.

It was at this village, Yuu, that Fujioka Sousuke found a way to make ends meet.

Although Yuu was large enough to have its own inn and village market, its population was only approximately one hundred people. Situated directly at the center of a valley with the main road passing right through the village center, the town consisted of mostly families with specialized businesses such as shoemakers, food vendors and tailors. There were also farmers who lived outside Yuu that came into the market to sell their crops.

On the morning of their first day at Yuu, Fujioka Sousuke awoke to find the village in a frenzy. A group of bandits was terrorizing the town. It just so happened to be the day of their monthly raid. The Fujiokas would later find out that due to its location along the main road, the village was highly subject to consistent visits from various groups of bandits passing through.

With the speed and finesse of a well seasoned shinobi, the Exile defeated the twenty bandits with ease and ensured all money and belongings were returned to the respective owners.

In awe and appreciation, the village of Yuu agreed to contract the Exile to defend the village from its common thieves and bandits. With this as his monthly earnings, the Exile was able to comfortably rent a one room home for him and his daughter, as well as pay for general living expenses.

This allowed Fujioka Sousuke and Hanae to stay at Yuu for four years.

By the time Hanae saw her fourth Autumn, Yuu had gained a reputation for being impenetrable to foul play and eventually, the thieves and bandits no longer bothered to raid the town. At this point, Yuu had decided to terminate its contract with the exiled Fujioka in an effort to reduce taxes.

At first, Fujioka Sousuke wasn't sure what his next move would be. Although Yuu had been a good home for them, his earnings were really just enough to make ends meet and his savings would only last them for the next three winter months. He then considered his daughter.

At four years old, Hanae was clever and very feisty **.** With only a father figure in her life, Hanae found it difficult to connect with other girls her age. Most of her time was spent either doing chores or wrestling with the boys. It was because of this, Hanae didn't have any close relationships in Yuu.

In consideration to this, Fujioka Sousuke decided to leave Yuu. He had a general idea of how they were going to survive – he was going to become a mercenary. After all, the Fujioka were one of many renowned clans that performed various missions for compensation. This was what he knew how to do the best. The only problem was how he was to be a mercenary while taking care of Hanae.

Fujioka Sousuke had a solution for this too.

The day after his contract was terminated, the Exile packed their most precious belongings and a plentiful supply of perishable food for their journey. Everything else of value was sold which he was grateful for as the proceeds added an extra month of possible expenditures to his savings. And just as unceremoniously as they had arrived, Fujioka Sousuke and Hanae left Yuu to set off towards their clan temple.

Mori Temple was considered a holy place for the Fujioka clan. It was a place of worship to the clan god, Morizuku, and a place of training. The clan typically made semi-annual visits – one week in February to pray for a prosperous lunar year, and up to several months, beginning June, for clan children to train and learn clan techniques. Visits and stays during the winter months were generally avoided as it was quite troublesome to heat the homes at the shrine.

It was here that Hanae and her father stayed for the next three months. With the help of her father, Hanae unlocked her kekkei genkai under the blessing of the god Morizuku and trained kenjutsu under her father. Although by no means was she comparable to a well seasoned shinobi at the end of the three months, Fujioka Sousuke had deemed Hanae competent enough to be his travelling companion as he found mercenary work.

For the next thirteen years thereafter, Hanae continued to train under her father. At first, her father could only take short-term contracts and was forced to leave Hanae at an inn while he completed it. But by the time Hanae was eleven, she was enough of a deadly force to assist in completing contracts, allowing them to earn a higher income. Moreover, due to the nature of the work, the duo was forced to detach themselves from others and they were never in one place for long.

This made Hanae more withdrawn than when she was a child. Although the girl loved her father for giving her life and freedom, her minimal interaction with individuals other than her parent made it difficult for her to understand human behaviour and social expectations. There had been countless missions where she was to assess, observe or spy on others and it was at these moments that Hanae couldn't wrap her brain around why other people behave the way they do. The science behind the human mind was just something that simply baffled her.

Despite coming to terms with it, her lack of empathy didn't bother her. As far as Hanae was concerned, as long as this characteristic didn't get in the way of her missions, it was inconsequential. She had her father, and her father had her. For the time-being, that was enough for the both of them.

This way of life ended for Hanae when she was seventeen. A few months prior, her father had suffered a minor injury. The wound itself had healed quickly. However, the weapon that had caused the damage was laced with an unknown and slow-working poison. Despite multiple visits to various healers and apothecaries, no remedy they tried had yielded any results. Six months subsequent to the injury, Fujioka Sousuke passed away.

The death of Hanae's father was the trigger that shoved her life onto a spiralling path of pain and loss.

It was this event that lead her to _him_.

Uchiha Madara.

If she was able to understand, could she have been able to save him?

This is a question Fujioka Hanae asks herself often.

This is a question that perhaps can never be answered.

* * *

 _ **Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you!**_


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Fujioka Sojiro exited the clan head counsel meeting. His steps were slow, but confident. His mind was reeling with the new information that had just been presented by Senju Tobirama. He could feel his katana, strapped in its holster, shudder at his annoyance generated from the meeting.

The Fujioka clan had been one of the first seven noble clans that had agreed to join Konohagakure no Sato. For the Fujioka, it was a no-brainer to accept the Senju and Uchiha's unusual offer, as joining Konoha would: (1) Provide greater resources to further the strength and interests of the clan; and (2) Provide greater protection and security through synergies with the other shinobi clans, provided they cooperate. It also helped that during the preliminary peace talks with the Senju and Uchiha, the Fujioka elders and leaders were exceedingly impressed at the calm and diplomatic manner in which Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were facilitating the formation of Konoha – although, in Sojiro's opinion, Hashirama was the far more likeable of the pair. Nevertheless, the unity and strength both clan leaders showed and were known for, respectively, only promoted the Fujioka to accept the invitation. Moreover, of the noble clans that were invited, there were none of which that the Fujioka had any quarrels with. That is until today.

Today, Senju Tobirama announced to the existing clan leaders that the Fuoka and Ootoki clans had accepted their invitation to join Konoha and are beginning arrangements to move in.

The Fujioka hated the Fuoka clan. In the past, they had commonly been hired against each other on missions. Sojiro didn't know if this was on purpose or not, but every time he had seen the Fuoka as his opponent, his blood would boil. It wasn't the fact that the Fuoka clan were stronger than the Fujioka. In fact, Sojiro could name a number of instances where the Fuoka acted and fought more inferior than the Fujioka.

No. What bothered Sojiro was that the Fuoka were cowards. They were all shinobi, yes, and sometimes shinobi are forced to fight dirty, but consistent underhandedness when there was no declaration of battle or war against each other just went against what the Fujioka believed in.

Sojiro entered the Fujioka compound and walked into the study of Fujioka Sotaro.

"Aniki," Sojiro greeted with a frown. "We have a problem."

Fujioka Sotaro, Clan Leader, with furrowed eyebrows looked up from the papers on his desk. He was drowning in them.

"The one time my cute otouto attends something on my behalf as Clan Leader and you caused a problem?"

Sojiro rolled his eyes. At 39 years old and scars marring the right side of his face, he was anything but cute. "This is hardly the time to be making a joke, and it's not the first time I've had to attend to Konoha matters on your 'behalf' while you're pretending to be busy with non-existent clan matters." Sojiro approached the desk and reached to touch a pile of papers on the desk. The papers disappeared with a 'poof'. They had never existed.

Fujioka Sotaro was unfazed. This was a regular occurrence. "So what is it?" he said, his tone slightly more serious.

"Two additional clans have accepted invitations to join Konoha – the Ootoki and… Fuoka." Sojiro paused with the intention on gauging his brother's reaction.

He was surprised to be met with an oblivious blink.

"…So?"

Sojiro felt a vein pop. "So, we have quarrels with them."

"You're talking about an ancient grudge that arose from a few petty and inconsequential actions that occurred over a period of a few decades." Sotaro brushed off.

Sojiro massaged his temples. How could Sotaro brush something like this off? "The elders will not be happy."

"Then let those old farts be unhappy." Sotaro snorted. "I'll remind them again that their decision to join Konoha comes with a price. They must let go of their ancient inhibitions and look towards the future using the mission of Konoha."

Sojiro sighed and relented. His aniki had a point, even if he was an airhead. "Do you even know what the mission of Konoha is?"

Sotaro turned into a sheep. "Erm… to be a place where people can come together…? And not have to fight…? Or something?"

Sojiro was about to give him a piece of his mind when another clan member entered the room.

"Sotaro-sama! Sojiro-sama! We've received word that a girl arrived at the Immigration Office. T-they say she's… a Fujioka!"

Sotaro and Sojiro's reactions were a mixture of surprise and curiosity. Up until the recent joining of Konoha, it was clan law that Fujiokas may only marry and procreate within the clan. As such, all births were regularly appropriately documented.

Sojiro was first to clear his throat. He couldn't think of any recently missing children or Fujioka woman that have ran away. "That's preposterous. How can that be? She must be lying."

Sotaro's expression turned thoughtful. "That's interesting for me to hear. What does she look like?"

The other clan member gulped. "W-well, I don't know sir. A messenger from the Immigration Office just arrived at the compound to ask whether we want to give her an audience."

Sojiro rolled his eyes. "It's probably just a stray trying to weasel its place into a clan."

There was a small pause of silence as Sotaro's expression remained thoughtful. "I think we should grant her an audience." He said as he stood up. "Let's see what she has to say, regardless if she's part of the clan or not. Nobu, please tell the messenger to bring her to the compound gates. We shall speak to her there."

"Hai, Sotaro-sama!" Nobu exited the room.

Sojiro crossed his arms.

"I know what you're thinking my cute otouto. But didn't you infer that I wasn't busy enough with clan matters?" Sotaro winked.

* * *

Hanae knew that she was a blunt person and she didn't really have a problem with it. In fact, she found being blunt a more effective way of getting things done. As such, consistent with her life up until now, she unceremoniously dumped herself on her clan's doorstep, via. Immigration Office. There were no frills.

After her father took his last breath, she released his hand in which she had a death grip on and kissed his forehead, wishing him peace. Then, with great care, she wrapped the body of Fujioka Sousuke and sealed him into a scroll.

Keeping her mind blank as much as possible, Hanae snuck into Mori Temple one late January night and fulfilled her father's last wish by burying him with her ancestors. It was raining. She didn't have anything of value or noteworthy to mark the grave other than a few large stones she had found and made into a pile. She told herself her father didn't enjoy extravagant things anyways.

It was then Hanae stood up to leave but found her feet rooted to the ground, her fists shaking and balled. It was the first time in years that tears were threatening to fall down her face. She chastised herself. She thought she had made her peace with this inevitable end a while ago.

Hanae finally let herself be angry. Revenge was on the brink of her mind. To taste fresh blood of the person who killed her father… Her katana shivered in pleasure at the fantasy. She knew who it was. She knew how she would go about in doing it too. He would help her. They were a team after all. Oh, how they would enjoy the tantalizing metallic taste on their lips. Drip. Drip. Dri-…

She had to stop herself right there.

Hanae took a deep breath and released it, letting go of the morbid image of a mangled body ripped into pieces. Her katana stilled.

Revenge was not the answer. Hanae let a grimace slip at the thought of a distant memory.

After collecting herself, she calmed and retreated to the covered footsteps of the temple to shelter herself from the rain.

What should she do now?

Returning to her mercenary life was out of the question. That life was one specifically reserved for her and her father. Continuing without him would be meaningless and bring her no satisfaction.

She could settle down in a town. Sell cookies or something. Morizuku, that would be boring.

Hanae groaned, her head in her hands.

She could… find her clan.

That was right. Just because her father was technically exiled, didn't mean she was. Would they even look over that fact though?

On the chance that they did take her in, she would have access to the resources to further her strength since neither her father or herself could read the ancient script on the scrolls containing some of the older and more advanced clan techniques hidden in the temple. Yes... and then maybe one day she'll become strong. Stronger… that would help her accomplish her goal –

Hanae's mind was going a mile a minute.

Wait… where was her clan anyways?

The next morning, the rain had stopped. With one last look at her father's makeshift grave, she turned away from the shine to the nearest town. She would need to gather intel.

After speaking to a variety of characters, some suspicious, and some not, she was surprised to discover that the Fujioka had accepted an invitation to join a… village, or rather, a cluster of other clans living in one confined geographical area. If that were true, then her predisposition on her clan of being traditional and uptight, which arose from the tales her father had told her, must have been wrong or at least more than a little exaggerated.

It almost seemed too good to be true – a village consisting predominantly of shinobi! Think of all the techniques that could be learned! Her katana salivated at the thought.

And that was how she found herself at the gates of the new Fujioka compound in Konoha. Flanking her were two males, clearly shinobi, that have been assigned to her case to watch her to ensure things didn't get out of hand.

In front of her were a collection of people from her clan, two of which who seemed to hold authority over the remaining three and who shared more similarities with each other than the rest. Hanae instantly recognized her own similarities. She was wrong to think her black mother of pearl eyes were a trait she shared with only her father. They also seemed to all have an inconvenient amount of thick black hair. One of her clan members across from her seemed to especially suffer from this condition as his hair looked like it was one strand away from bursting from its tie. Most notably, she noticed that the man that most closely flanked who she assumed to be the Clan Leader had an exact copy of her high and dominant cheek bones, with exception to the three scars that marred the right side of his face.

All in all, it was quite obvious to her that this collection of people were her kin.

"Good afternoon. I am Fujioka Sotaro, the current leader of the Fujioka clan. Please introduce yourself and explain why you believe you are part of our clan." His tone was neutral.

Okay. Maybe it wasn't obvious to everyone.

Hanae did a small bow. "Hello, thank you for having an audience with me. I am Fujioka Hanae. My father recently passed away. His name was Fujioka Sousuke."

There were quiet mutters from the three other clan members present and a clear look of recognition on Sotaro and Sojiro's faces.

Sojiro acted first. He muttered a "Kai" and waited.

Nothing happened.

Without introducing himself, he continued. "What do you have as proof that Fujioka Sousuke was your father?"

Hanae hid the scowl that threatened to show. She was about to ask if they were serious because although she didn't have any mementos of her father, they had to have noticed their genetic similarities. She paused before the first word came out.

"I have..." She extended her arm up which in turn caused everyone to tense at her sudden movement. "this."

In one elegant motion, she unsheathed her katana from the holster tied to her back. The shinobi flanking her jumped away from her fighting range and unsheathed their own kunai. Hanae paid them no mind and flipped her katana so that the bottom of the hilt was visible to her clan.

To the plain eye, there was nothing out of the ordinary on the bottom of her katana hilt, but all five of her clansmen had a look of recognition.

After a moment of pause, Sotaro cleared his throat. "Why don't you come in for some tea, Hanae-san."

* * *

 _ **Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you.**_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hanae was received in the washitsu of the Fujioka compound. The scent of the pine structure and the crispness of the shoji screens still lingered in the air. The compound was just newly built.

Seated around the table with her was Fujioka Sotaro, the Clan Leader, and his younger brother, Fujioka Sojiro. Hanae noted that the brothers couldn't appear to be more different. Sotaro sat serenely with his hands hidden in his sleeves. His aura was calm, but powerful. Sojiro on the other hand had frown lines that seemed to be held at a permanent scowl. Aside from differences in build size and age, Hanae's features and body type seemed more akin to Sojiro's.

The remaining two seats at the table were occupied by two representatives of the Fujioka elders: Kotama and Toka. Upon entering the room, it was made apparent to Hanae that Kotama was missing his entire left forearm. Toka was relying heavily on a staff and limped over to the table. Although both at a physical disadvantage, the two elders held old and stern faces. They had seen their fair share in battles.

"You claim to be the child of Fujioka Sousuke, the third son of the late Fujioka Noboru." Kotama began. "You have presented a moribuki as evidence. Although this indicates that you may be a member of the clan, this does not evidence that you are the child of Fujioka Sousuke. Moreover, even if you are indeed his child, Fujioka Sousuke was exiled seventeen years ago and is no longer a clansman. As such, we are under no obligation to accept you into the clan. What do you have to say about this?"

Hanae closed her eyes to digest the information. She expected to be received by some animosity. After all, shinobi were known to be suspicious to people. Especially to other shinobi. She spoke calm and carefully. "I have no other evidence to release to you. However, I have been told that a formal notice of exile was never delivered to my father before he left the clan. More importantly, I was born into this clan and resided within its compound for one day before my father took me away. No formal notice of exile was ever delivered to me as well. I have done no wrong and have broken no clan laws that I am aware of. Although I have no proof that I am the child of Fujioka Sousuke, I would expect my moribuki to be sufficient evidence that I am a part of the clan. As such, I do not see a reason why the clan should not accept me."

Her clansmen considered her words carefully.

"Just because you present a weapon that is similar to the moribuki of the Fujioka does not evidence that you are part of the clan." Sojiro said.

"What do you think, Sotaro-sama?" Toka asked.

Sotaro appeared to be deep in thought. A few seconds passed before he spoke. "We have dispelled any genjutsu Hanae-san may have casted. Her appearance is consistent with the rest of our clan. She also wields a weapon that is only compatible with the kekkei genkai of our clansmen. Moreover, Sousuke left the clan seventeen years ago. Hanae-san's age also appears to be consistent with this timeline."

Sojiro didn't like where this was going.

"Hanae-san, you may stay in the compound on a probation-basis. Three weeks from now, our clan intends to make the trek to Mori Temple to pray for the lunar year. At this time, you will join us in meditation at the temple and reveal the true form of your moribuki to us. If successful, we will be able to determine if you are indeed our clansmen in which you may stay with us indefinitely. Do you find this acceptable?"

"Yes."

"Very good. Your temporary living quarters will be arranged under the home of Fujioka Sojiro here. His housekeeper, Miko, will help you with anything you need."

* * *

Fujioka Sojiro was annoyed. Not only was he already responsible for training the clan children and assimilating the clan to Konoha, now he had to look after the stray.

"You were the most suspicious one at the table otouto. It only makes sense to board her with you so you can be put at ease by keeping a close eye on her." His brother had said.

Sometimes Sojiro thought his brother was out to get him.

Admittedly, the girl herself looked more like him than she does her father. Sojiro could see his own prominent bone structure copied onto her facial features. Her nose however was slim and dainty which echoed who Sojiro knew to be her mother. The girls eyes were nothing spectacular as far as a Fujioka goes as well. The orbs of the Fujioka were the colour of black mother of pearls of which allowed them to see energy bestowed upon them by Morizuku.

At seventeen, he supposed boys her age would find her pretty. The girl had somehow found a way to manage the Fujioka's wild ink black hair in which many of their clansmen struggled to tame. Hanae on the other hand was able to grow it longer than most Fujioka women and had tied it at the ends to keep it together.

If in fact she is indeed a Fujioka and is cooperative with the clan, her presence would not necessarily be a bad thing. Although Sojiro had his doubts on her skill with their clan techniques, her ability to unlock her moribuki at all was impressive. If Sojiro was being honest, the Fujioka had been unlucky with Hanae's generation of clan children on whether or not they could unlock their kekkei genkai. Thus, her addition to the clan would only prove to strengthen them and their bloodline. Sojiro just thought it odd that she would so suddenly show up at their doorstep and at her own volition. He would have assumed that the girl enjoyed her freedom outside of the clan since she's been away from it for so long. It seemed too good to be true that she dropped herself right into their hands and he was determined to uncover the reason.

Sojiro slid open the door to his home with Hanae in tow. His housekeeper greeted them.

"Hanae, this is my housekeeper, Miko, who will be taking care of your needs during your stay." He turned to Miko. "Miko, where is Hiro? Please bring him."

"I'm here father." Said a voice.

Hanae directed her gaze to the man entering the room. She noted that he was tall, not unlike Sojiro, but his cheekbones were less prominent than his. The man's hair was also short and buzzed at the sides. This was the first Fujioka Hanae had seen with such a haircut. Otherwise, he had the signature Fujioka eyes which had a playful and easy-going glint in them. He had a sheathed moribuki at his hip.

"Hanae," Sojiro continued. "This is my son, Hiro. You will be seeing him around the house."

"Eh? Father, did you bring me a long lost imouto-chan? She's cute. She looks like you too." Hiro said with a playful grin.

Sojiro was unamused and thought that Hiro's persona took after Sotaro's a little more than he liked.

Hanae on the other hand had little appreciation to the words that had been spoken as if she wasn't standing there.

"Control your behaviour and please make some attempt to not embarrass this family." Sojiro berated.

Hiro brushed his father off and gestured to Hanae. "Yeah, yeah. So what's the story here?"

"Hanae will be staying with us on a probation-basis until we can confirm she is a clansman during the next trip to the Temple."

Hiro did an up and down on Hanae. "What's there to confirm? She looks like us and holds a moribuki. I'm fairly certain we don't need any more evidence."

"Hiro!" Sojiro chastised. "As a shinobi, you cannot take everything at face value." He turned to Hanae and Miko and continued. "Also, I'm sure in Sotaro's mind, it's more of a formality. Miko, can you please take Hanae-san to the guestroom?"

"Hai, Sojiro-sama." Miko said and ushered Hanae to follow, leaving the father and son at the doorway.

Miko lead Hanae to a room at the back of the house. It was an adequate size room with a closet and a dresser in which Hanae thought to be perfect for her weapons.

"May I?" Miko gestured to her bags, asking for permission to help her unpack.

Hanae nodded at her and let the housekeeper begin extracting her items. Miko seemed to be in about her mid-thirties. Her features were pretty standard for a Fujioka. Her hair was so unmanageable that it had to be tied up in a high bun which probably started out prim and neat in the morning, but now had more than a few strands that had escaped.

"Is this it?" Miko asked.

Hanae blinked for a minute. "Yes."

"You travel fairly light." Miko commented.

Hanae noted that it wasn't a question and didn't feel the need to respond.

"Well," Miko continued. "We have one bath in this house which is down the hall on the right. If you wish to use the hot springs, the onsen is three blocks west from here. Do you have any questions?"

Hanae shook her head.

"Then I will leave you to your own devices. Please let me know if you need anything." Miko didn't smile but Hanae noted that her tone was not unkind. She appreciated her professionalism.

"Thank you." Hanae replied.

As Miko exited, Hiro appeared and was leaning on the door.

"Hey imouto-chan." He greeted with the same grin Hanae had seen earlier. She had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time she'd see him with that stupid grin.

"I am not your imouto-chan." She stated it as more of a fact than an insult.

Hiro mocked a pout. "Well you're living under this roof aren't you?"

Hanae looked at him expectantly. Hiro took this as a yes.

"And my father is to be looking after you, yes?"

Hanae didn't answer him again.

"Then you are as good as my imouto-chan in my mind." He gave her another grin and approached her. He reached to pinch her cheek until Hanae swatted his hand away. "Ow." Hiro dramatized his pain which was then followed by a smirk. "Quick reflexes huh?"

Hanae didn't feel the need to answer him. She was starting to think that Hiro could be an unwanted thorn in her side.

Hiro plopped himself on her floor and made himself at home. "So how old are you? I just wanted to make sure you really are my imouto-chan and not my onee-san."

"Seventeen." Hanae replied.

"Sit, Hanae-chan." Hiro gestured to the space next to him. "If we are going to be living in the same home, we might as well get to know each other. Don't you want to know how old I am?"

Hanae kept her face blank and tried to not let on that she was uncomfortable. She had never had any close relationships with anybody in her age group and she wasn't sure how to interact with him. Moreover, Hiro's unusually jolly nature was something unfamiliar to Hanae and made her unsure as to how to react. At the end, she submitted and sat on the floor next to him.

"See? Not hard ne?" Hiro shifted closer next to her so that their shoulders were touching.

Hanae tried not to move away at discomfort from their proximity. Was this how normal families interacted with each other?

"I was right, you are my imouto-chan! I'm 22 this year. If anybody in the Village gives you trouble, make sure you send them to me."

Hanae blinked. "That hardly seems necessary."

"We're family now." Hiro said passionately. He extended an arm to put it around her shoulders in a half hug but Hanae stood up abruptly to avoid it. "Wow, _really_ fast reflexes. You any good with your moribuki?"

Hanae felt that that was the most direct question he's asked since he entered the room.

"Yes." She responded neutrally.

"We should spar some time. Honestly, it's a bit rare for me to see someone with a moribuki around our age. It would make good practice without being around any boring adults."

"What do you mean by rare?"

Hanae saw Hiro's face turn serious for the first time. "The clan has been having trouble with the kids unlocking the kekkei genkai. Across the clan, I'd say there's only been a rate of sixty percent of clansmen between the ages of ten to twenty that have unlocked the kekkei genkai. Moreover, just within the main family there is only one person in my generation that has unlocked their moribuki."

Hanae glanced at Hiro's own moribuki and made the connection. So either Sotaro, the Clan Leader, had no children or his children could not unlock their kekkei genkai.

"Two." Hanae said.

Hiro looked at her quizzically.

"I am the daughter of Fujioka Sousuke." She paused. "If you choose to believe me, that is."

Hiro's mouth turned into a wide smile. He buried a hand into her hair before she could dodge and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Gee why didn't you say so in the first place? I still prefer to call you my imouto-chan though."

Despite feeling a tad annoyed at the fact that he was messing with her hair (it would take time to tame it again), Hanae felt something warm spread in her heart for the first time since entering the compound.

* * *

The next day, Hanae woke before the rest of the household to explore the Village. She left a note in the kitchen before she left.

It was too early for many of the shops to be open so instead she decided to walk west of the compound until there was no more village to walk.

She passed the onsen that Miko had mentioned the day before. The steam from the building was easily seen from the outside.

She passed a few more notable stores – a flower shop, a barbeque restaurant, a tailor and a bar – before entering a neighbourhood district. Everything was new. She walked further in the same direction until she was disappointed to see that the Village outskirts ended at another clan compound that she could not enter.

So she walked some more, this time south, which she knew was in the direction of the gates.

Somewhere along the way, Hiro casually made an appearance. She knew that his presence was probably due to Sojiro asking him to check up on her.

"Whatcha' doing?" He appeared suddenly in stride with her, arms behind his head.

"Walking." She said neutrally.

"To where?"

"Around the Village."

He didn't seem annoyed with her short answers. For some reason, he seemed to find her entertaining. "Why?" he asked easily.

"So I can get to know the Village."

"You could have asked me to be your guide you know. There's not too much built yet. To the north is the mountain where lies the main administration office at the foot of it. From there to the gate there's a main road which branches out with stores and shops. At the edge of the shops are the compounds and suburbs. Finally, between the compounds you can find roads to the outer rim of the Village where you'll find the training grounds. That's really it in a nutshell, generally speaking."

"I like to know my surroundings." She said simply as she continued walking.

"Suit yourself my cute imouto-chan. If you get hungry, you can return to the compound and Miko-san can arrange you a meal. I have a quick patrol shift during the day but I'll be at the northern training grounds this evening in case you want a spar. Also, I want to see what you're made of."

Hanae felt the sides of her mouth move upward. She was not opposed to a spar. It would also be interesting to see how she would stack up to her cousin who grew up different from her, surrounded by the clan. "Okay, thank you for your help. I didn't mean to have you baby sit me." She said knowingly.

"No problem Hanae-chan." He winked. "Hope to see you soon."

And with that he was gone. She continued walking.

By the time she was looping back north, she stopped by a shop to pick up two fish onigiri before continuing. She then came across a large multi-story building. "It's a library." She realized.

Upon entering, she found out that without proper shinobi identification, her access to the books were limited. Thus, she settled on the books that involved more common civilian knowledge. Her father and her never had much time to stop between their missions. This was the first time Hanae found herself in a library with plentiful time.

She stayed there for six hours.

At four o'clock, Hanae felt like her eyes were going to bulge out of their sockets from overuse of near sight. She decided to find her way to the northern training grounds. Maybe she would warm up before Hiro got there since she had been cooped up in the library all day.

Hanae walked north and found herself on the grassy outskirts of Konoha but she was at a loss. None of these training grounds were labelled. She was certainly north and she was certainly on a training field, but was this the right one?

She decided to explore some more. She walked by a few shinobi across several sectioned off training fields. It was all uphill.

One group was clearly very young. They were throwing kunai at targets. They weren't very good. Hanae didn't find this very interesting.

She paused at the next field upon seeing two shinobi spar using an interesting form of taijutsu. Almost as soon as she got there one of the shinobi with white eyes whirled back wildly to scowl at her as if he had eyes at the back of his head. Hanae was not great at reading social cues, but she understood that as a sign to get lost.

The last training field at the end was more secluded. Hanae made a mental note to approach quietly as to not alert anyone like she had the last time.

In the clearing she found a single man. He was tall with spiky white hair and wore head gear. He also had peculiar markings on his face that were unfamiliar to her. His eyes were the colour of blood. She decided that the man radiated off power.

At first glance, the man appeared to be target practicing. He had several targets at various levels on the trees and a kunai in his hand. Hanae was surprised when the man had his non-throwing arm prepared to draw chakra. He stopped mid-way and turned his body to her direction.

"Reveal yourself." He commanded.

Hanae exposed herself into the clearing. She didn't feel any nervousness since she didn't think she had done anything wrong. She was however impressed with his sensory skills, especially since she made it a point to be subtle. As an ex-mercenary, she had thought she had mastered her stealth long ago. She clearly had room for improvement.

At the sight of her, he seemed to relax. Hanae wasn't sure if she should be insulted by this.

"Why are you spying on me?" he asked her. His tone revealed that he did not have his guard totally down.

"I am not spying." Her voice was calm and steady. "I am looking for my cousin. He said he would be meeting me at the training grounds in this area to spar."

The man, Tobirama, looked like he wasn't sure if she was truthful but he turned away, accepting her answer.

"What jutsu are you going to perform with that kunai?" Hanae asked bluntly. She was curious.

Tobirama's eyes narrowed. "Most shinobi don't find it pleasant when others attempt to find out their techniques."

Hanae didn't really understand the meaning behind his words and why he was suddenly talking about other shinobi, so she clarified. "Do you mean to say you are 'most shinobi'?" She blinked.

Tobirama couldn't tell if this girl with outrageous black hair was serious. "Tell you what," he began. "I am missing my sparring partner myself. If you are able to keep up with me in a spar, perhaps you will find out."

Hanae didn't see a problem with this. She nodded, unsheathed her katana and walked closer to the center of the clearing.

"Also," he said. "no outrageous ninjutsu. The village is new."

He didn't wait for her response before he lunged at her with his kunai. Hanae immediately blocked his first blow with ease before she swiped her foot down to bring him off his feet. He dodged and put distance between them. It was after this that Hanae realized that his first blow was just to test her.

This man was fast. _Very fast_.

Although all he had was a kunai, it was difficult for her to keep up with him as most of his movements were white blurs. She was lucky that his pale complexion stood out against the trees.

After a few moments, Hanae had had enough of dodging and blocking his blows and decided to take a more offensive approach. She wasn't as fast as he was, but being fast could often mean that an opponent would not have enough time to put adequate power into their attacks. Perhaps she should use that to her advantage.

Hanae directed their attacking range closer to the tree line. Doubling as a dodge to his attack, her body kicked itself off of a top branch of the tree, bringing her body momentarily out of his view before she rebounded herself back into the clearing to continue the fight.

It only took Tobirama two swipes at her to realize the reason why she was only dodging and not blocking or attacking. He turned his attention back to the top of the tree.

Hanae was already in mid-attack as she propelled herself at him. Her non-physical clone that was only dodging poofed away. Tobirama knew that her attack power would only be enhanced due to the force of gravity and the force she had used to propel herself off the tree.

Just as her attack was mere inches away, Tobirama channeled his chakra into his kunai before he threw it away from where they were standing.

Hanae barely managed to switch from her attacking position to a recovery position to roll and land safely. When she was able to look up again, Tobirama was standing across the clearing.

"Teleportation jutsu?" Hanae asked, panting.

Tobirama nodded. He was mildly surprised that she was able to identify the jutsu at all. She was interesting and certainly full of surprises. "What is your name?" he asked.

It was clear to Hanae that their spar had ended so she returned to a standing position. "Fujioka Hanae. And yours?"

"Senju Tobirama." Tobirama noted that his name didn't seem to mean much to her. "I do not recognize you. Are you new?"

Hanae nodded. "I arrived yesterday. I am still exploring and getting to know the Village."

Tobirama found her statement odd since the Fujioka had settled in many months ago. He decided not to question it at the moment. "Then I recommend the view at the top of the mountain."

Hanae turned to where he was gesturing. The northern training grounds were just a little hill away from the top of the mountain. She sheathed her katana. "Shall we go see it then?"

The pair made their way up the hill and reached the top. There was no shade to block the sun, but thankfully, the sun was just about to set. Hanae settled herself at the edge of the cliff while Tobirama hesitated before following her example. Not one second had passed before the girl's stomach made an obnoxious growl.

The girl didn't seem embarrassed by it though. Instead, she continued looking at the view of Konoha as if the sound didn't even bother her.

Tobirama reached into his bag and took out a rice ball Mito had insisted he bring with him. He offered it to Hanae.

The girl looked at the rice ball, and then at Tobirama. Her eyes had a bewildered look in them as she accepted it. "Thank you." She paused. "That's very kind of you."

In Hanae's previous life as a mercenary, random strangers did not perform acts of kindness. Any resources individuals had were safeguarded and protected. If Hanae was hungry she would most definitely need to hunt or buy it herself. Nothing, especially food, was free.

Grateful for the food, she ate quietly.

"What do you think of Konoha?" He asked. He was curious as to how newcomers perceived the Village.

Hanae paused to think before responding. "It's beautiful." She began thoughtfully. "It's a beautiful thing when so many strangers from different backgrounds work together towards one active goal."

"There is still mistrust between many of the clans."

"The village has only been operating for a few months. That is to be expected." She responded carefully. "I am sure there is mistrust and quarrels within each of the clans as well. There always has been and there always will be. But..." she paused. "I'd like to believe there is love as well and over time, perhaps it will be strong enough to lead to a lasting peace. If not today, than maybe tomorrow."

"The Will of Fire." Tobirama said quietly.

"Pardon me?"

Tobirama shook his head. "It is something irrelevant that my brother goes on about."

"Oh."

They sat in an amicable silence for a few more minutes.

"There is one thing that could be better." Hanae began.

Tobirama looked at her questioningly.

"We could label the training fields so we can better coordinate with other people."

Tobirama mouth turned into a wry smile. "I can pass along your request."

And then his face turned and the man paused. There was one more thing he was curious about. "Didn't the Fujioka clan settle into Konoha more than a few months ago? How is it that you have only arrived yesterday?"

"I haven't lived with my clan for many years. It was just recently that I found them again."

There was a pause before they responded at the same time.

"That was a very evasive answer." He said bluntly.

"I don't think they like me." She responded just as bluntly.

The pair shared an amused look at each other.

Just as the sun began to dip into the horizon, Tobirama stood up. "Shall I walk you home?"

Hanae stood up and shook her head. "That is unnecessary. I know the way."

Tobirama's conscience told him that he should be a gentleman as his grandmother had instilled in him and walk her anyways, but an innate voice told him that her words should be taken in a literal sense. The girl was honest… and blunt.

He later realized that these were characteristics reflected in his own personality.

* * *

 _ **Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you!**_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Hanae was not good at navigating the social constructs of society. In most cases, she had a difficult time understanding hidden meanings behind other people's words.

The thing she noted about Tobirama however was that he seemed to be the same way. Actually, he didn't seem to be a man of many words at all.

In reality, neither was Hanae.

So when he asked her what she thought of Konoha, she surprised herself by the number of words that left her mouth without a second thought. She shocked herself even morewhen she so abruptly revealed her own thoughts about her clan to him. She was normally more reserved than that.

Perhaps it was because she saw something in Tobirama that resonated with her – he was the same as her. A little odd and unfamiliar with how some people interacted with each other.

She only hoped he felt the same way.

* * *

When Hanae returned to the compound that evening, she was met with a concerned Miko.

"Hanae-san," She looked surprised to see her. "where were you all day?"

Hanae blinked. She wasn't certain if she overstepped any boundaries in regards to the clan. "I was at the library mostly, and then I went to the training grounds on the north side of the Village."

The housekeeper looked suspicious. "Hiro-sama returned from the northern training grounds and said you weren't there."

"I was training with someone else."

Hanae seemed to have peaked Miko's curiosity. "Who was it?"

"He said his name was Senju Tobirama."

"Senju Tobirama?"

Hanae could deduce from Miko's reaction that he was probably one of the last people she'd expect her to be with. "Is there a problem?"

Miko relaxed. "Oh no, not at all. The clan has been concerned about your whereabouts. I heard that Sojiro-sama and the Elders were worried that someone from another clan could take advantage of the fact that you're new. But since you were with Tobirama-sama…"

"Tobirama-sama? Is he famous?"

Miko's eyes bulged out of her sockets in bewilderment. "You don't know who Senju Tobirama-sama is?!"

Hanae shook her head. Although her intel had previously informed her that Konoha was first formed by an alliance between the Senju and Uchiha clans, it was not made clear to her of which individuals were involved. Sure, the Senju clan was historically famed, but in all her travels, she's known of few Senju shinobi by name. Otherwise, she never paid attention to clan wars or politics that happened around her.

The housekeeper calmed. "I suppose it's reasonable since you have only just arrived, but I do wonder if you have been living under a rock all these years." She shook her head. "Senju Tobirama-sama is the brother of the Senju clan leader and is one of the Founders of Konoha."

Hanae blinked. "Oh." She couldn't help but feel a little stupid for not knowing that piece of information.

"Anyhow," Miko stood to leave. "I am glad you're back safe."

Something about her tone bothered Hanae. She felt like she was being treated like a child who had crossed some sort of boundary. "Miko-san, I can assure you that I am perfectly safe in the Village on my own."

Miko turned and paused before she spoke. "I don't mean any disrespect Hanae-san and I did not mean to make you feel incapable. However, if I may offer you some advice, because the Elders are still relatively wary of your loyalties and are not yet aware of your combat skill, they would feel more comfortable if you stayed within the compound or notified them if you intend to run errands in the Village. I apologize if I am overstepping my boundaries as a housekeeper, but I hope my advice will make your stay more comfortable. I also want to highlight that my advice is not spoken on behalf of the Elders, but is based on my understanding on how the clan perceives you at this point in time."

Hanae considered her words carefully before responding. She concluded that her words were honest and meant to be helpful. "Thank you, Miko-san, for communicating this to me as no one has yet to do so. Please be assured that I have not taken offense and I will heed your advice going forward."

* * *

The next morning, Hanae followed Miko's advice and stayed within the compound. Despite the fact that she was accustomed to waking at dawn, she forced herself to lay in her futon until it was a more acceptable hour.

Finally, at six in the morning, she put away her futon and exited her room to see if there were at least any morning chores she could help to pass the time. She was surprised to find Sojiro reading a book at the table with tea and a few slices of seaweed. Hanae's stomach complained about hunger at the sight of the seaweed. She ignored it. Instead, not wanting to leave her current issue up in the air or seem uncooperative, she decided to take the issue head on.

"Good morning, Sojiro-sama. May I join you?"

"Good morning. Please do." He put down his book and gestured to the seat next to him.

"I wanted to address what the expectations are regarding my probationary stay in your home." She began. "I realized yesterday that I may have concerned you and the Elders on my whereabouts yesterday and I apologize if I have caused any distress. Going forward, would it be more acceptable to notify someone or request for an escort?"

Sojiro was rather impressed. The girl was surprisingly diplomatic with her approach. Her voice was steady and her eyes were unwavering. Sojiro wasn't sure whether or not this should make him more suspicious of her. "I believe notifying us beforehand will suffice." Yes, that and Sojiro was pretty sure he was going assign a clansman to follow her discreetly. "I appreciate that you have brought this issue up yourself."

"The credit should not be given to me." She began. "Miko-san informed me last night that my actions may have caused some distress. Thus, in the future, it may benefit all parties if the clan sets out expectations at the beginning before any misunderstanding occurs."

Did the girl just give him a command?

Sojiro evaluated her carefully. No, he decided. She was being neither defensive or unkind. Her words, he recognized, were said in a way that was consistent with his previous assessment: Diplomatic. There were no personal feelings involved.

If the girl did happen to be honest and who she claims to be, Sojiro thought that with a little more education she wouldn't be half bad at navigating the clan's political landscape in Konoha. Sojiro pocketed this assessment for another time.

"I will keep that in mind going forward." He responded. "Now, I can hear your hunger all the way from here. Please keep up your strength while you are staying with us. You may call for Miko-san whenever you are hungry. In the meantime, I believe she is preparing breakfast as we speak."

Hanae blinked when she realized that this was the first time in a few weeks that anyone had paid attention to her overall well-being. Regardless as to whether or not Sojiro was only speaking out of politeness, she felt another warmth spread through her heart. "Yes, of course. Thank you, Sojiro-sama."

Heavy footsteps were suddenly heard entering the room. "Good morning, my beautiful family! What's for breakfast?" Sotaro obnoxiously plopped himself at the table in good spirits. "Miko-san, one more portion please!" He called throughout the house.

"I believe you have your own house." Sojiro said, unamused.

"Yes, but it's so boring over there." Sotaro lamented. "Kentaro is with the Elders and I'm lonely. Besides," he said dramatically. "I wanted to get to know my cute little niece." He rested his face in his hands and his elbows on the table. "Sojiro, you're so lucky to get to spend so much time with her!"

"You assigned her to board with me."

"Yes, but that was only because you have so much more free time than me! We must give Hanae-chan as much of our attention as possible!"

Sojiro rubbed his temples. That was totally _not_ the reason Sotaro claimed to have boarded Hanae with him.

"Anyhow, Hanae-chan, would you do me the pleasure of going on a village stroll with me after breakfast? We can finally spend some uncle and niece time." Sotaro said passionately.

"You sound like a pervert." Sojiro deadpanned.

"Am not!"

* * *

Hanae wasn't sure where to place Sotaro's personality. Initially, he seemed calm and his aura radiated power. Now… well, he seemed to have a big personality.

On their way out of the compound, the pair came across a young Fujioka girl playing by the gates. "A-ah! Sotaro-sama, good morning!" She did a clumsy bow.

"Kana-chan, good morning!" Sotaro said. "What are you doing outside?"

"Mama is on a mission…" The young girl fidgeted nervously.

"Hmm…" Sotaro said thoughtfully. "Kana-chan, this is Hanae-san. She's new to the clan. Would you like to come on a walk with us?"

The little girl brightened up instantly. "Yes please!"

With that, the trio made their way onto the streets of the Village.

"Hanae-nee-san, where did you come from?" Kana asked.

Hanae wouldn't say the girl was blunt per se; she was more characterized by possessing a lack of tactfulness.

"My father raised me outside of the clan. I have just recently returned from our journey."

"That means you must have seen all of the outside world!" Kana said excitedly.

Hanae couldn't help but smile at the younger girl's enthusiasm. "I wouldn't say I've seen it all, but yes, I've seen some of the outside world."

"What's it like?"

Hanae wasn't sure how to describe it. "It's beautiful, I suppose, but also very dangerous. I wouldn't recommend venturing out there alone." She erred on the side of caution in case the younger girl had any ideas.

"Mama's out there right now. She's on a mission!" Kana said with a toothy smile. "One day I want to be as strong as my Mama! But…" Her face faltered.

"What is it?" Hanae asked quizzically.

"On our next visit to the Temple, the clan is to see if I can unlock our kekkei genkai. What if Morizuku-sama doesn't want to bless me?" The girl cried in genuine concern.

Hanae has had little exposure to children, and she was uncertain as to how to console the girl. She went back to the memories of her father. Yes, he certainly had a knack of connecting with people. Hanae bent down and stroked the younger girl's hair calmingly. "Don't worry Kana-chan. Morizuku-sama blesses people based on his assessment of whether the path of a shinobi is right for you. It's not right for everyone. If he decides that it's not right for you, there are other ways to be strong for the clan than to fight."

The girl sniffled. "Like what?"

"Well," Hanae hesitated. She wasn't really sure to be honest. So she made it up. "You can study medicine and become a healer for the clan, or be a home keeper and support the clan shinobi when they retire in their homes. Or, you can even learn to be well-versed in clan politics and help negotiate a stronger position for our clan within Konoha."

Kana considered this carefully. "I've never thought about that."

"Don't worry Kana-chan." Sotaro interrupted. "Regardless of what happens, you will always have a place with the clan." He smiled at her warmly.

"O-of course! Thank you Sotaro-sama!" The girl beamed and skipped along with them. She paused and looked up to Sotaro, gesturing him to bring his ear down to her. "Sotaro-sama, how old is Hanae-nee-san?" She not so quietly whispered.

Hanae sweat-dropped.

"I believe she's seventeen." Sotaro loudly whispered back.

The young girl 'hmm'd' as if the answer was acceptable to her. She skipped a few metres ahead of them. "When I'm seventeen, I hope I'm as pretty as you Hanae-nee-san!" The girl giggled back at them.

Sotaro burst out laughing. "Well, looks like you have your first admirer Hanae-chan."

Hanae felt her ears burn in embarrassment but did not respond.

Sotaro and Hanae continued walking in companionship whereas Kana was a few metres ahead of them, picking up and examining stones and flowers she thought were interesting.

"So Hanae-chan, do you like what you've seen so far of Konoha?" Sotaro asked, making easy conversation.

"Yes, it's very nice." Hanae responded. She then turned to Sotaro and found that he was still looking at her expectantly. She took it as a cue to continue. "It's… certainly an interesting concept."

"Oh?"

"Yes, having so many clans live together in such a confined geographical area."

"And what's so interesting about that?" He continued to probe.

Hanae wasn't sure if he was asking her because he was genuinely curious or if he was trying to elicit something else out of her response. "Well, although it hasn't been done before, pooling resources with other clans would be beneficial for all parties, provided everyone cooperates."

"So how would you say our clan joining Konoha would benefit us?"

"It would provide us extra security in the case another clan were to threaten us…" She began. "It would further challenge us as shinobi to learn and counteract a wider variety of attack styles in a safe setting… And, I believe there's power in unity."

"Very interesting." Sotaro murmured. "Hanae-chan, do you know what the purpose behind the founding of Konoha was?"

She shook her head.

"It was so we can create a place where children don't have to fight each other anymore. It was for peace which is something I believe in." Sotaro started, and then his voice turned low. "I don't believe you were lying when you claim to be a part of this clan. Also, because I loved my brother and I see aspects of him in you, I am more than willing to give you a chance. But," He said sharply. "if we catch you lying about your intentions, find out that your loyalties lie elsewhere or that your presence threatens this peace, please know that I will not hesitate to take action against you."

Hanae resisted a gulp. Sotaro's face was devoid of any emotion. He looked almost… dangerous.

"Sotaro-sama," Hanae cleared her voice. "I fully understand your hesitation. I know my words currently hold no weight, but please be assured that I have no ulterior motive other than wanting to be with my family and to strengthen my skills as a shinobi. I – …" She paused, unsure if she should continue. "I was not aware that that was the reason behind the founding of Konoha, but your statement surprises me as that is something that resonates with me also. I pledge to you that I will help you protect it." She finished seriously.

Sotaro's face stared at her stoically before it all faded into an easy smile. "Maah, Hanae-chan, why are you so serious all of the sudden? Lighten up!" He gave her a hard pat on the back which almost made her stumble.

She suddenly felt pity for Sojiro and felt glad she didn't have a brother like him.

"Ow!" Came Kana's voice, interrupting the conversation. Both Sotaro and Hanae turned to the younger girls direction a few metres ahead. Kana had tripped and face planted. There were two other male adults with her.

The first man had sun-kissed bronze skin which adorned white and green robes. His eyes were black but carried a certain mirth in them. His hair was long and silky smooth. Hanae was almost jealous of it.

As for the second man, Hanae couldn't believe there was someone with hair wilder than hers. His hair was coarse, spiky and long. His front bang had a knack for covering one of his eyes. His black robes, hair and eyes stood out from his oddly pale skin. The man was turned away from them as he helped Kana stand.

The little girl initially seemed embarrassed at falling, but her face darkened into fright when she looked up at the man helping her. "S-SOTARO-SAMA!" She wailed. "HANAE-NEE-SAN!"The young girl darted from the man's grasp and bolted back towards Sotaro and Hanae. She ran passed Hanae and hid behind her, grasping onto her robes in fright.

Hanae was startled at Kana and had half the mind to dodge the younger girl in alarm, but resisted the urge. She didn't say anything. In the distance, she could hear the sun-kissed skinned man roar in laughter.

"Yo, Hashirama-sama, Madara-sama, what brings you two out on this lovely morning." Sotaro waved to them casually as he approached. Hanae followed, which tugged along Kana.

"We are on our way to the main administration office. Who is your companion?"

Hanae stepped forward, ready to introduce herself when she still felt Kana's tight grip still on her robes. "This would not do." Hanae thought. The clan would look bad if Kana's behaviour wasn't remedied.

"Kana-chan," She began. "it's rude not to say hello. Shall we say hello together?" She gripped one of her tiny hands to pull the girl to her side. The younger girl still looked nervous.

Hanae turned back to the two men and bowed. "I am Sotaro-sama's niece, Fujioka Hanae. It's nice to meet you." Hanae then turned to Kana with an expectant look.

"I-It's nice to meet you. My name is Fujioka Kana." She stumbled with a bow.

Hanae smiled and praised the girl by patting her on the head.

"How wonderful, I never knew Sotaro-sama had a niece and such a sweet little girl in his clan!" The bronzed man beamed. "My name is Senju Hashirama and this is my friend Uchiha Madara."

Hanae made eye contact with Madara and felt her breath hitch. His face was older, albeit quite handsome despite looking tired. His eyes were intensely black, lit with fire, and seemed to bore into her own. He had a heavy presence with his tall build and broad shoulders that towered over her like a dark shadow.

She steeled herself at the uncomfortable attention he was giving her, holding the eye contact for a moment longer before politely looking away.

"These are two of the Founders of Konoha." Sotaro further introduced. "Hashirama-sama is the clan leader for the Senju clan and Madara-sama for the Uchiha clan." He turned back to the Founders. "Hanae-chan here has been away for some time and has recently rejoined the clan. I am helping her getting acquainted with the Village."

Hashirama's eyes glanced at her katana. "Ohh, Hanae-chan, are you a shinobi?"

"Yes."

"Ehh, what do you specialize in?" He kindly asked.

"Kenjutsu, infiltration and reconnaissance." She responded vaguely.

"Infiltration huh? Konoha doesn't have many infiltration specialists yet. Please be sure to stop by the registration office so we can register you as a Konoha shinobi. Then we can give you your headband!" He said to her with a thumbs up.

"A headband?"

"Yes! It's super cool. It bears our Konoha symbol on it to identify you as a Konoha shinobi." He said passionately. Hanae thought it was an odd sight to see an adult man say something like 'super cool'.

"Well, I'll take her to the registration office myself once I determine her to be ready." Sotaro said evasively. "We shouldn't take much more of your time now. Gentlemen," He bid. "I'll see you around the Village."

"Of course." Hashirama said. "Hanae-chan, Kana-chan, please let us know if you have any questions or comments about the Village! Bye-bye!"

The group parted separate ways. Kana kept hold of Hanae's hand as they walked away. Hanae risked a peak behind to get one last look at the two men, more specifically, the dark one.

Kana giggled loud enough so that the people around them could hear. "Hanae-nee-san, your ears are red!"

* * *

 _ **Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you!**_


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Three weeks flew by quickly. During this time, Hanae abided to what she had agreed upon with Sojiro and communicated her whereabouts with her clansmen regularly. Through her cooperation, Sojiro's trust towards her had been involuntarily increasing. Her activities, he learned, were rarely exciting. Hanae had been spending her days helping the clan prepare supplies for their journey to Mori Temple, training and visiting the library. Through her activities, attitude and interactions with other clan members, she had left a certain impression on everyone.

The clan elders and leaders discovered by observing her spars that her combat skill was on par with Hiro's, a shinobi five years her senior. (Although it was tough to decide who the stronger shinobi was only based on kenjutsu spars). This left most clansmen mildly impressed and optimistic about her addition to the clan. Hiro especially was mildly shocked at her ability to keep up and vowed to be named the stronger shinobi. Hanae welcomed the friendly competition.

It also became evident that Hanae had clearly been on the roads to the Temple before. This was seen through her checks as to whether adequate rope and weather gear was prepared for their travel. The clan children, who were largely responsible for gathering supplies, surprisingly looked up to the girl and enjoyed having "an experienced shinobi" among their ranks, helping them with their duties. The clan children were also appalled that Hanae didn't know very much about their usual offerings to their god and were more than happy to give her a quick lesson on it. Her good rapport with the clan children surprised Hanae as she generally didn't find children that easy to interact with. It helped that Kana helped her as an ambassador of sorts.

In regards to the library, Hanae had inquired Sojiro as to when she would be able to get her shinobi identification sorted out for higher level access to reading material. Sojiro had told her that they wouldn't be able to sort it out until her position in the clan had been finalized, which wouldn't be until after their visit to Mori Temple. Without admitting it, Sojiro felt a little bad about this and instead offered her access to his own personal reading material at his home. Hanae appreciated the gesture but found that his personal library mostly contained ancient literature and poems and were less about the shinobi arts. She later confirmed that the clan's library on the shinobi arts were largely held at the Temple.

It was finally the day the clan would temporarily leave Konoha and make its way to Mori Temple. It was Lunar New Years Eve. Although it was clan tradition to make it to the Temple by Lunar New Years Day, this was Konoha's first Lunar New Year and there was a large festival being thrown in the Village. Thus, to avoid looking antisocial and to make efforts into assimilating into the Village, the Fujioka had decided to compromise by staying for the festivities and not make their departure until well into the evening. As such, most of the clan were encouraged to sleep in this day to stockpile their energy reserves for the journey in the evening.

It was the early evening and most of the clan had already dispersed into the merry festivities in the Village. Hanae was walking through the festival with Hiro and hand-in-hand with Kana. The streets were so busy that the trio had to walk almost shoulder-to-shoulder in order to stick together. After three weeks of spars and conversations, Hanae was just starting to get comfortable with the idea of standing so close to another person.

"Once you have shown your released moribuki to the Elders, I challenge you to a real spar and we can settle who the best shinobi is once in for all!" The older male said to her childishly.

"It doesn't really matter who is stronger, does it?" She asked, not really seeing the point of it all.

"It totally matters! It's about honour and pride!" He said competitively.

"Hiro-sama just doesn't want to admit he's weaker than my Hanae-nee-san!" Kana interjected. If she wasn't so familiar with the two, some would have said she was being rude.

"Oi you brat!" Hiro exclaimed, not really maliciously.

The little girl harrumphed and skipped ahead to look at a jewelry stand that was surrounded by a group of teenage girls. Upon sight of the stand, Hanae noticed Hiro's cheeks turn rosy.

"Are you okay Hiro?" She asked with mild concern.

"O-o-of course!" He said, eyes immediately diverting from the stand. Then he looked like he had an idea. "Hey, you're my cute little imouto-chan, right?"

Hanae thought he was being rhetorical again and didn't feel the need to respond.

"You think you can help me out and introduce me to one of those pretty girls?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Hanae peered over to the booth and then back at him. "You wish to ask for one of those girls' hand in marriage?"

"Well no, I don't know about _that_. I just want to umm… talk, to them."

Hanae furrowed her brows. "My father once warned me that when men want to "talk" it could either mean a good thing, or a really bad thing. He said men that have bad intentions are skirt-chasers. Hiro," She continued seriously. "Are you a skirt-chaser?"

At this point, the man's face turned fully red. "W-what? No! Of course not. Maah, Hanae why do you always have to turn everything into something serious? I just wanted to talk to the girls! Why do you have to make me sound like a perv…" He stopped mid-sentence to look at Hanae with a crooked smile on her face.

"I… I think that was the first joke I've ever heard you crack." He said, disbelievingly. "That was a joke… right?"

Hanae did a little smirk without answering. "I'm going to get snacks." She said. "Can you watch Kana-chan please?"

"Fine." Hiro said exasperatedly. "Make sure you find me some crab cakes though. You owe me!"

Hanae waved before walking away. She couldn't find a crab cake stand, but a few metres later, she did come across a taiyaki stand. She vaguely remembered that taiyakis were Kana's favourite. Hanae lined up and paid for one red bean taiyaki. While she was walking away, she heard loud voices behind her.

"I told you brats to not come back until you have the money!" The grouchy old taiyaki vendor said to a group of five kids. The children all had dark hair, dark eyes and looked to be between the ages of five and eight years old. Their clothes were dark as well, with only a red and white fan on their backs distinguishing them from the rest of the crowd.

"Oh come on Oji-chan! We're just kids! We only want one and we're just one or two ryo short!" Said the oldest looking child, pleadingly.

"I said scram! Don't make me go over there!" He said from across the booth.

Hanae was suddenly reminded of the rice ball Tobirama had offered to share with her three weeks ago. It was in memory of his kindness that she decided to interrupt. "Excuse me." She began. "I'll pay for them. One more taiyaki please." She said politely.

The old vendor grumbled as he took her money. "One taiyaki coming up." He said before handing the pastry on a stick.

Hanae handed the new taiyaki to the oldest child in the group whose eyes were wide in bewilderment. "T-Thanks onee-san." He stuttered in surprise before he took a bite out of it and passed it along to his friends. The boy's facial features looked pleased at the taste.

Hanae took a step back and looked at the group of five children sharing one stick of taiyaki. She couldn't help but think it was sad. "Here," She handed them her own pastry. "Take this one too."

"Really?" Another boy asked. "Wow! Thanks onee-san!" The children happily ate the extra taiyaki and left after wishing her to enjoy the rest of the festival.

Watching the happy children walk away made Hanae feel oddly content inside. She opened her pocket to grab change for another taiyaki when she realized she was now also one or two ryo short.

"Here," A deep voice interrupted her thoughts. "Please allow me."

A dark shadow loomed over her and paid the vendor before handing her a new taiyaki.

"Uchiha Madara-sama, right?" She said, a little shocked. She did not expect to encounter him at a taiyaki stand of all places.

"Yes. Fujioka-san…" He trailed off, gesturing her to take the taiyaki from his hands.

"You can call me by my first name." She said. She was usually uncomfortable with such formalities. "Thank you for the gesture, but I can't possibly accept it."

"The children you assisted were children of my clan, Hanae-san." He began. "Please accept this as a part of my gratitude for helping them."

"Oh." She realized. Dark hair and eyes must be a trait of the Uchiha. "Thank you then, I appreciate the gesture." She accepted the taiyaki from him but was unsure as to what else was appropriate to say. Hanae suddenly found herself unusually nervous with the way his dusk-coloured eyes were boring into her. Feeling bashful and unsure of what else to do, she took a bite out of the taiyaki, despite it being initially for Kana.

"Do you like it?" He asked in his deep baritone voice.

"Yes, it's good." She said. And it was the truth. The sugary flavour of the red bean paste complimented the pastry well on her taste buds.

Madara smirked, pleased with her answer. Hanae found his smirk quite attractive on his features and forced herself to look away as to not stare.

"How are you enjoying the festivities, Hanae-san?"

Hanae focused on his velvet voice and the way her name rolled off his tongue. Each syllable was carefully articulated. She couldn't stop herself from gulping. "I'm enjoying it. It's my first festival and I am surprised to see most of the clans in attendance."

Madara's eyebrows furrowed. "Did you not attend any festivals as a child?"

"I have not."

"Then, may I recommend the lanterns?" He asserted. "The vendor is this way. Follow me."

It took half a second before Hanae registered to follow and on their way there, he had paused to allow her to walk with him, side by side. The pair walked a little ways away from the main street vendors towards the eastern training fields. The streets were crowded so their shoulders were sometimes forced to touch on their way to the field. Hanae felt uncomfortable with the contact, but not in her usual way. Each brush caused surges of heat to her body which was something she had never experienced before from another person. In her mind, she kept telling herself to pretend it was Hiro, someone she only recently became comfortable with, in attempts to calm her mind. Despite her nervousness, the February evening was cool and Hanae felt minor appreciation for being able to feel the heat radiate off his towering build.

When they got to the field, Hanae found herself wonderfully surprised. Across the vast plain were hundreds of burning lanterns floating upwards toward the night sky. The orbs of light burned brightly like stars and lit up the field in an ethereal glow. Hanae suddenly felt like she was in another world.

"Are you coming?"

Hanae was broken out of her own thoughts and realized that Madara was standing ahead, looking at her expectantly. He crossed the distance between them and grasped her wrist to guide her to the middle of the field.

"One please." He asked the vendor.

"Uchiha-sama, please allow me to pay for it."

"That will be unnecessary. I seem to remember you gave up two taiyakis for my clan and I have only repaid you with one." He brushed her off.

"Do you need a lighter?" The vendor asked.

Madara guided her away without answering.

Hanae was hyperaware of the warmth that had disappeared when he let go of her wrist but soon forgot about it when he thrusted the lantern into her hands.

He took hold of her shoulders and turned her around and away from him to face the lights in the sky. "Close your eyes." He commanded lowly.

Hanae felt an involuntary shiver go down her spine. She couldn't decide whether or not he had intentionally whispered into her ear, but she abided.

"Now," He almost drawled. "Make a wish."

Hanae's mind was going a mile a minute. She could feel his hot breath against her neck and her back flush against his chest. She was painfully aware of the minute movements he made with every breath he expelled. His body heat radiated off on her which, in her mind, she claimed was the reason why her entire body was burning. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel his intense gaze on her, unwavering.

A sudden hot wave of chakra passed by her face. When she opened her eyes, she found her lantern lit by his jutsu. Without needing any further command, Hanae released her lantern and watched in wonder as it joined the mass of others in the sky. She let her lantern disappear into the stars.

The pair continued to watch in silence.

Madara didn't speak until he was sure she was finished with her wonderment. "What do you think?" He asked.

There were two things Hanae thought about the experience: (1) The whole scene of hundreds of lanterns in the sky was ethereally beautiful. She's never seen anything like it. She loved it; and (2) She totally did _not_ make a wish. Her mind simply was unable to process one with his whole presence burning behind her.

Hanae made a movement back towards the Village and the pair began to walk. "It was wonderful. Thank you for recommending it." She said earnestly. "Although, I wouldn't have thought you to be the type to believe in lantern wishes."

Madara thought the girl was rather forward but was pleased that the she didn't seem afraid of him. "I don't. There's a reason why I only got one lantern." He said bluntly. "However, if you have never been to a festival, it is quite a sight."

Hanae nodded in agreement.

When the pair was just entering the passages back into the Village, they walked by a small crowd and heard some rather rambunctious laughter.

"What is that?" She asked.

The pair walked towards it.

"It's theatre. A play." He paused. "For children."

Hanae registered his answer but did not say anything in response. She simply listened to the story.

In truth, Madara was a little annoyed when the girl had pulled them aside to watch a _children's_ story being played out. He had half a mind to leave until the girl began to chuckle at, what he thought, was a rather overused joke. At first she had tried to stifle it and pass it off as a smile but she proved herself unable to do so when a melodious laugh escaped her lips.

It was quite a sight to see the normally serious girl have her soft lips part and her eyes sparkle in mirth. That was when he made the decision to guide her to one of the benches among the theatre seats.

They sat next to each other, shoulder-to-shoulder. Madara decided he liked the way her body was pressed up nicely to his side. Her body was warm, much like her personality, he discovered. He earlier realized that although her words sounded cold and typically stoic, her persona was kind and sincere.

She was a pretty little thing – large eyes, dainty nose and a strong bone structure. She had a lean frame, as most kunoichi did, and stood about five foot four. It wouldn't take him very much to grasp her by the hips and pull her onto his lap. Her lithe frame might even have trouble straddling his larger build…

The image of it all caused a certain tightness in his hakama. He hid a grimace.

She was young though. How old was she? Seventeen? Eighteen?

Of course, there have been even younger girls who have been already married off or are already mothers. However, now that they were in a state of stability, it would be increasingly strange to associate himself sexually with someone nearly eight years his junior.

Madara wondered idly if she was still a virgin.

Virgins were kind of annoying. One would have to be gentle with a virgin, and if what was going on in his mind was any indication, he most certainly did not want to be gentle with Hanae.

He had no shame in it either. With all that had been going on with building the Village, negotiating with other clans and keeping his own clan in check, it had been a while since he had last been intimate with a woman. Madara had a few old flames he could call upon if ever in the mood, but the last few months had been such a blur, he really only had the chance for a breather today.

Madara stared at Hanae's hand grasping the bench in contemplation, wondering if he should capture it in his own. Normally he wouldn't give it a second thought. He was Uchiha Madara after all. Right when he decided to do so, a rupture of applause broke his thoughts.

The play had ended.

Hanae stood to leave the area and he followed suit. "Thank you for sitting through the play with me. I know it may not be to everyone's tastes."

"It is alright." Classic male lie.

"I must be returning to my compound. We are leaving to our clan Temple for the lunar year tonight."

"I'll accompany you."

"That is unnecessary." She stated. "I know the way."

"I must insist; Unless you are opposed to my company?"

"N-no, not at all." She said in a rare stutter.

Madara was pleased that the tips of her ears turned a lovely shade of pink. He smirked and Hanae almost hated it.

When they returned to the Fujioka compound, the pair could see the wagons packed out front and the crowd of clan members bustling in preparation. More than several torches were lit, greatly assisting in visibility.

Sojiro noticed their approach. "Madara-sama." He greeted. "How kind of you to walk our young Hanae-san back."

Hanae thought his tone sounded suspicious.

Madara did not miss a beat. "It is my pleasure. After all, Hanae-san provided me great company tonight."

Sojiro frowned.

Hanae did not understand. Instead, she took the polite approach. "Thank you again for helping me navigate through the festivities Uchiha-sama."

"Of course." He was quiet thereafter; eyes dark.

They made her feel as if her soul was on fire.

Madara cleared his voice. "I bid your clan farewell then, and a safe journey to your Temple." He said with finality, without taking his eyes off of her.

And with a lasting look that made Hanae resist the urge to gulp, he finally turned away from her, giving Sojiro a polite nod before parting ways with them.

Sojiro released a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

Hanae felt like her legs were ramen noodles.

* * *

 _ **Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. Thank you!**_


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The journey to Mori Temple took the entirety of the Fujioka clan a total of twelve hours. Because of adequate preparation, most of the clan members had the strength to travel throughout the night, with exception to the elderly and very young children who took turns riding in the wagons and on Fujioka Sotaro's bear summons. The clan was rather lucky as it only snowed a total of two weeks in the Fire country and the weather in February was considered to be getting quite mild.

The clan found the journey to be relatively quiet otherwise. Neither wild animals or bandits were brave enough to approach the large shinobi clan in the middle of the night.

The road began getting more dangerous at the base of the small cliffside in which the Temple was situated at the top of, but the clan expertly maneuvered their wagons, supplies and elderly so that they would lose the fewest belongings as possible.

Despite being weary from the journey, when the clan arrived at the temple gates at nine in the morning, the Fujioka sprang to life. The elderly got to work to warm the temple homes, the children and civilians unloaded their supplies and the shinobi scouted the area, organized hunting parties and assisted in the heavy lifting wherever it was required.

Hanae found herself helping Miko unload the heavier containers from the wagons and into the kitchen. Her mind was elsewhere. She was painfully aware that the last time she was in the Temple, she had laid her father down to rest. The memory of it clouded her mind.

"Hanae." Miko nearly snapped. Over the last few weeks, the two women grew closer and came to an understanding with one another. Neither possessed much tact, but that was how they got along. "If you're going to mope, please do it elsewhere. You're not being helpful."

"I apologize Miko. It's just…" She uncharacteristically trailed off.

Miko sighed and grabbed her by the shoulders to force eye contact. "Why don't you just leave this to me and do what you need to do." She said knowingly.

"Thank you." Hanae said a little shocked. She didn't think she was being that obvious.

Hanae left the kitchens and walked around the edge and towards the backend of the property. She stopped when the treeline came into sight. The dead were buried here.

The morning air was crisp and the sky was clear. The higher elevation made the temperature slightly cooler than at the base of the cliff. It was quiet here. The burial grounds were a little ways away from the bustle of the clan's arrival. A light breeze danced in the air.

It took no time for her to locate her father's grave. It looked exactly the same as how she left it – a pile of stones over loose dirt. Without caring about dirtying her clothes, Hanae kneeled in front of him. "Father, I've come to visit." She paused. "Much has changed since we last spoke." Hanae opened her mouth to continue but no words came out. She didn't even know where to begin. Would Fujioka Sousuke be proud of his daughter? Happy that she had reunited with her family? Or would he be disappointed?

In reflection, Fujioka Sousuke spoke little of his clan, other than the fact that he left before getting formally exiled to protect her. He had said that having the freedom to care for her and leaving the clan had been the best decision he had ever made. He never regretted it. She wasn't sure if it was a lie or not.

Hanae was so distracted that she didn't notice a presence behind her. A voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Is that him?"

Hanae hid her shock and turned to glance behind her. It was Fujioka Sotaro.

"Yes." She began slowly. "He wished to be buried with our ancestors. I hope I didn't cause any trouble by helping him fulfil his wish."

To her surprise, Sotaro came close and kneeled beside her. "I would never disturb his grave." He said solemnly, eyes staring at the pile of stones.

A quiet moment passed.

"How did it happen?" He asked suddenly.

"Poison."

" _Poison_?" He asked in disbelief. "Sousuke was killed by _poison_?"

Hanae's balled up her fists. She was disappointed in herself. How could she admit to her uncle that she had failed her father? They had lost him to _poison_ of all things. The heavy feeling of regret rushed back to her and sat heavy on her bones. "We were hired to infiltrate a stronghold in the Land of Earth." She began. "We were supposed to retrieve some sensitive information. The assignment level itself was reasonable. The stronghold was moderately guarded by samurai. We didn't expect to find shinobi within the stronghold. Nevertheless, we were able to defeat them with minor injuries." Hanae had to pause as the memory resurfaced. "I can still hear the enemy's voice. He was laughing in delirum. He was speaking gibberish about the world – something about a great evil and an antidote… An antidote he said we would never find." Hanae took a deep breath to keep herself calm. "Neither of us realized that he was poisoned until three weeks had passed. His skin began bruising in places where they shouldn't be. They were ugly, large and made it difficult for him to sleep. We were optimistic though. The poison was slow-working and he still had energy most of the time leading up to his death. We must have travelled throughout all the countries, visiting apothecary after apothecary and doctor after doctor. We never found a correct diagnosis or a successful treatment. And then six months after the mission, he passed."

Sotaro listened quietly and carefully. He never interrupted. After Hanae had finished, he digested her story slowly.

"And the killer?" He asked.

Hanae hesitated, unsure if she should be truthful. In the end, she decided to tell him a half lie. "Still alive, but never found again."

Sotaro turned towards her to place a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for sharing your story with me. You have been very brave through all of this." He began. "Please know that there is no doubt in my mind that you are my family and that we are kin. I want to let you know that your skillsets have deeply impressed me and I am confident that you will continue to impress myself and the Elders, regardless of what happens later in meditation."

Hanae blinked. This was the first time Sotaro had been so sincere to her. She knew it was childish, but she was happy, and perhaps even a little excited, that she had earn her uncle's first level of approval. "Thank you, Sotaro-sama."

Sotaro stood and placed a warm hand on the top of her head in comfort before turning to leave. "I will see to it that he gets a proper headstone."

* * *

There was no time for naps. After the Temple grounds and homes was properly cleaned and prepared to be occupied and all the supplies were put away, the clan gathered around the main building. The Elders and the main family were the only ones that were allowed in the main building for the first prayers while the rest of the clan remained outside to wait for their turn.

Sotaro, being clan leader, went first. His prayer was said out loud. He prayed for the strength and health of the clan, the prosperity of Konoha, and most of all, he prayed for peace. He offered up a lavish assortment of fruit, treats, treasures and ornaments that were neatly organized among the candles at the altar.

After Sotaro, was a man Hanae only recognized on passing over the past three weeks. Although he looked like a Fujioka, the basic clan features were the extent to which he resembled any Fujioka she knew. As the man made a silent prayer, Hanae whispered quietly to Hiro, who was standing next to her. "Who is that?"

Hiro looked at her, surprised that she didn't know. "That's our cousin, Kentaro, Sotaro's son and the Clan Heir."

Hanae turned back to look at Kentaro. She had heard of Kentaro in passing, but she had never had the opportunity to meet him. To avoid the risk of getting caught being distracted, Hanae didn't further comment on him.

When Kentaro finished his prayer, he placed his offering on the altar, which was an ornate dagger that was embellished in coloured stones. It looked expensive.

After him, were the Elders who were then followed by Sojiro.

Hanae wasn't sure what to do. Sure, she had been to the Temple plenty of times before to pray, but never had she prayed in front of so many of her clansmen before. What if she insulted them by doing it wrong?

Next to her, Hiro grabbed her elbow. "Settle down." He whispered. "I can feel your nervousness from over here."

"I don't know what to do." She whispered back.

"Just follow my lead."

Hiro went next. He kneeled on the cushion out of respect with his head bowed and eyes closed as he made his prayer. A few seconds passed before he stood up. He then placed his offering at the altar. It was a single kunai. When he finished, he sent her a meaningful look, signalling that it was her turn.

Hanae took a deep breath and stepped forward. When she kneeled at the altar, she realized she didn't have much to ask for. She kept it short and asked for good health for her family and friends. Because it was so short, she suddenly felt that her prayer may not appear adequate in the eyes of the Elders so she forced herself to linger for a few seconds longer. When she rose, she placed her offering on the altar. A piece of fruit – a single orange.

When she returned to her post, Hiro shot her a grin and signalled her a thumbs up that was hidden at his side.

Hanae let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It seems that she didn't make a fool out of herself after all. She was about to give a thumbs up back when she hear Toka, one of the Elders that first interrogated her, ordered the guards to make preparations to allow the rest of the clan in for prayers.

"Hanae-san." She heard Sotaro call to her. "It's time for meditation. Please follow me."

* * *

Hanae followed closely behind the footsteps of Sotaro while she felt Sojiro's presence closely behind hers. The path they took was unfamiliar to her. It was a winding and narrow hall within the main building that was semi-hidden behind the altar. With each step the hall got darker, but Sotaro seemed to know where he was going. A heavy musk settled into the air as they went deeper down. Hanae was sure they must have been several floors below surface level.

Finally, Sotaro stopped. If it wasn't for her shinobi training, Hanae would have most definitely ran into him. She heard him mutter a katon no jutsu under his breath to light a nearby lamp.

Hanae let her eyes adjust to the sudden brightness and found that before them was what looked like a well covered with a metal lid. The metal cover was engraved with what Hanae knew to be the same ancient text that the Fujioka used for their secret techniques hidden away somewhere else in the Temple.

Without narrative, Sotaro stepped on the raised ledge and held out his katana pointed down at the metal cover. Instantaneously, the sword glowed a black haze and levitated momentarily out of the Clan Leader's hand before it sunk into the metal cover, like a key in a keyhole. With a large clunk that echoed throughout the hall, the metal cover slid open revealing a narrow path of stairs to which Sotaro went down without hesitation.

Without needing further direction, Hanae confidently followed after him. To her surprise, there weren't as many stairs as she had anticipated. The bottom of the steps led into a room which she assumed was originally a dojo, but the walls were instead lined with shelves holding various texts, antiques and artifacts. The ceilings, she noticed, were also vastly high. They were so high that she couldn't see the ceiling in their current darkness. In the middle of the room lay a collection of seating cushions that were neatly organized in a circle.

Seeing the arrangement made her realize. So it was _that_ kind of meditation. Hanae felt her katana shiver in its holster against her back in what she assumed to be excitement. She suddenly felt nervous. Her best guess is that he probably wouldn't play well with others.

Sojiro came behind her and gestured her to the nearest cushion as Sotaro busied himself with something at the front of the room.

One after the other, Hiro and three other Elders, two of which were Kotama and Toka, who she met on her first day, filed in and took their own seats. Missing from the group was Kentaro who, as Hiro had insinuated, had not awakened his kekkei genkai.

Hiro, noticing the tenseness in her posture, gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze before he sat down at her side. "You're going to do great." He told her. He helped position the hilt of her katana towards the center of their circle. She noticed the others were doing so as well.

Sotaro came back and placed a fresh candle onto the floor at the middle.

Hanae thought perhaps she should warn them. "Excuse me," She began.

"Hush child." Kotama, another Elder, snapped. "We're about to begin."

"I understand, but…"

"The time for talking is over. We must begin." Toka agreed, cutting her off with a tone of finality. The Elders appeared to be eager.

Sotaro settled himself at his own seat and gave her a wry but apologetic smile. "I shall initiate." And then his eyelids slipped shut.

Hanae felt the force of his chakra stretch her mind like an elastic, effectively snapping it, and push her into a meditative state. The backlash of his power hit her mind like a whip, and then a dizziness set in. She was unaware that he had such power. Although she found herself impressed, she was mildly annoyed that she wasn't given a fair warning.

Hanae opened her eyes slowly.

It would appear that they were together in an alternative mindscape. Their sitting positions had not changed.

"Release." Sotaro muttered.

On his command, his katana before him evaporated into a wispy smoke and materialized into a great grizzly bear. The bear wore heavy armour and stood at least fifteen feet tall. She felt the mindscape shake as the bear stood aggressively. A deep growl left its throat.

One after the other, the remaining individuals released their moribukis.

She noted that Sojiro's moribuki wisped into some sort of armour-wearing primate, standing just as tall as Sojiro's grizzly bear. However, this primate had three pairs of arms, in addition to its legs, with each hand holding a different type of weapon.

Hiro's moribuki was a tiger. It had its teeth permanently bared and snarled as it was released, shaking the mindscape.

Among the remaining Elders, she noticed a collection of moribuki taking form as a crocodile, a porcupine and a hare, each equally aggressive and large. She noticed suspicion flash in the eyes of the crocodile and the hare, likely reflecting the feelings of their wielders.

All moribuki adorned silver armour, engraved with the Fujioka crest.

"Well," Kotama started. "Release your moribuki." He commanded her.

Hanae looked around the circle, each clan member looking at her expectantly. She let out a sigh before placing a hand on the blade of her moribuki, hoping for the best.

"Release."

Her katana wisped away in swirl of smoke.

Nothing happened.

After a moment, the Elders made their assumptions and began to shout in outrage.

"I knew it was a fake!"

"How could I be fooled?"

"Explain yourself!"

Hanae closed her eyes without feeling the need to reply. Were the Elders really so ignorant to jump to such conclusions?

"Hush…" Sotaro ordered the Elders.

Silence.

A drop in temperature – condensation formed at their breaths.

A flicker in the mindscape.

And then again.

The mood darkened.

 _Drip_.

 _Drip._

 _Drip._

A drop hit the spot next to Hanae. It was the colour of blood.

"O-ookami…" Kotama said in disbelief.

Laughter… of the most sickening kind.

"So you've heard of me?" The snout of her moribuki widened as it approached the elder, showing all of his sharp teeth. More saliva dripped out of its mouth – or was it blood?

Porcupine's eyes flashed with rage, raising its quills as it came to Kotama's defense.

In a flash, Primate was next to the two. It puffed its chest out and suddenly grew another ten feet taller with the intent to intimidate. Its sword pointed to her moribuki. "Stand down, Wolf." It commanded.

Yellow eyes flashed. A growl escaped.

Wolf turned its attention away from Porcupine, deeming it non-threatening. He instead turned to bypass Primates sword, stalking closer to him. He made it a point to increase his own size to match Primate. Each step he took made the mindscape tremble.

"Or what?" The growl was permanently thundering out of its throat.

"That's enough." Hanae interrupted pointedly.

A wolfish bark escaped as the wolf turned its back on Primate, walking along the perimeter of the group to stare down the remaining moribuki – an act of intimidation. "You Elders make me laugh." He snorted. "You think I haven't heard your whispers throughout the compound? First showing us such distrust - such _terrible_ hospitality." It mocked reprimanded. "Then, upon understanding only a fraction of the power we wield, you now want us for your own selfish needs!"

"I said, that's _enough_." She commanded, her tone with finality.

Wolf went quiet but completed his stalk around the group, circling Hanae before settling himself behind her; a large smug grin plastered on his face. The tips of his sharp teeth were still visible through his closed lips.

Hanae looked around the room and saw the bewildered faces of her clansmen. The Elders especially looked appalled. "I apologize for the behaviour of my moribuki." She said as earnestly as possible.

Sotaro cleared his voice. "Hanae, I ask that you do your best to keep your moribuki in line in the future."

"Yes, Sotaro-sama."

"Moreover, I also had originally intended to put your moribuki to the test during this meditation. However, due to the circumstances, I've decided that we will observe your abilities in real time at a later date. Otherwise, this session has served its purpose as we were able to legitimize your moribuki and your membership in the clan. Unless there is anything else someone would like to add, we may adjourn this session."

Barely waiting for a response, the Elders made a hand sign and disappeared from the mindscape, along with their moribukis. Soon after, Hiro and Sotaro disappeared as well. In the background she could hear Wolf cackle. "What scum." He chortled.

In that time, her eyes connected with Sojiro's – an unreadable expression on his face. He held her eye contact until he too disappeared.

Hanae let out a sigh, finally alone. "Why do you purposely act that way?" She asked almost tonelessly.

Wolf settled his laughter and laid down on his belly next to her – not really taking the conversation seriously. "We're two sides of the same coin. My thoughts are your thoughts."

"They are not." She said pointedly.

"What you choose to believe won't change fact."

Although she clearly disagreed, Hanae decided to save it for another time. He was putting her in a bad mood. She made the correct signs and closed the mindscape.

* * *

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